This invention relates to apparatus for performing procedures involving the vascular system of a patient.
The vascular system of a patient in a critical care environment is often monitored by the long-term connection of catheters to an artery and to a vein, and often also to the pulmonary artery of the patient. When a procedure is performed, such as the taking of a blood sample, a nurse must operate many stopcocks in proper sequence, to withdraw saline solution lying in the catheter for disposal, to continue the withdrawal until blood flows out, to operate a syringe to take the blood sample, to disconnect the syringe and connect a bottle of saline solution to flush the catheter with saline solution back to the patient, and then to maintain a small or occasional flow of saline solution to maintain patency (unclogged condition) of the catheter. Because of the numerous stopcocks that must be operated in proper sequence, there is a considerable possibility of error. Similar complications are encountered in performing other procedures, such as infusion of medicines and calibration of the pressure measuring system, and all of these procedures take appreciable time.